Comedian Tony Cavalero Tapped to Star as Rocker-Turned Substitute Teacher “Dewey Finn” in Nickelodeon and Paramount TV’s Live-Action, Musical-Comedy Series, School of Rock

Viacom Inc.’s (NASDAQ: VIAB and VIA) Nickelodeon and Paramount Television announced today that actor/comedian Tony Cavalero will take on the beloved role of Dewey Finn, portrayed by Jack Black in the 2003 movie, in the upcoming musical-comedy TV series, School of Rock.

COMEDIAN TONY CAVALERO TAPPED TO STAR AS ROCKER-TURNED SUBSTITUTE TEACHER "DEWEY FINN" IN NICKELODEON AND PARAMOUNT TV'S LIVE-ACTION, MUSICAL-COMEDY SERIES, SCHOOL OF ROCK (Photo: Business Wire)

“I am so honored to be part of the rad legacy that is SCHOOL OF ROCK,” said Tony Cavalero. “Jack Black is one of my biggest comedy influences and I am ready to shred!”

School of Rock, set to air on Nickelodeon early 2015, will be a live-action series following a group of unconventional prep schoolers who are taught the joy of rock ‘n’ roll by Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck rocker who poses as a substitute teacher at their school.

Cavalero has guest starred in television series including Modern Family, 2 Broke Girls, Hart of Dixie and Adam Devine’s House Party. He stars as a series regular in the Glamour web series The Single Life and in the WB/Maker Studios web series Robin Banks and the Bank Roberts. Cavalero, like many of the successful comedians who came before him, is currently a main company member at the legendary Los Angeles improv company, The Groundlings.

School of Rock is a Paramount Television production. The straight-to-series, 13-episode order, will be written by Jim and Steve Armogida (Crash & Bernstein, My Family), who will also serve as executive producers and show runners. The 2003 movie’s director Richard Linklater and producer Scott Rudin will executive produce the television series.

Tony Cavalero is represented by Gersh and Truhett/Garcia Management. His attorneys are Cindy Farrelly Gesner and James Feldman.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).

About Paramount Television

Paramount Television develops and finances a wide range of creative television programming across all media platforms. Paramount Television is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a division of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television, film and digital entertainment brands.

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